Sacred cow

Sacred cows are cows who are venerated by Hindus in India, dating back to the legend of the bull Nandi being Shiva's most loyal follower and steed. In Hinduism, it is taboo to eat beef due to the veneration of cows, and it is common to see cows wandering around cities and towns.

Sacred cows relate to cultural materialism (the social or environmental shaping of cultures), as many cows are preserved due to their ability to provide milk products to poor farmers. Today, "sacred cow" can refer to an untouchable concept; for instance, in United States politics, the military budget is a "sacred cow", meaning that it cannot be cut.